John Garrett
Encyclopedia
John Laurence Garrett was a British
management consultant and Labour Party
politician. He was Member of Parliament
for Norwich South for 19 years in two non-consecutive terms, from 1974 to 1983, and later from 1987 to 1997.
Garrett was born in Romford
, the son of a book-keeper. He was brought up in Walthamstow
, and attended Sir George Monoux Grammar School. He read geography at University College, Oxford
, graduating with a first. He undertook research into industrial location, receiving a B.Litt, and spent a year at the University of California
graduate business school as a King George VI Fellow, before National Service
in the Royal Air Force
.
He worked in industry as a labour officer in the chemical industry, then a market research manager in the car industry, and finally a management consultant with Inbucon from 1963. He contributed to the Fulton Commission, on the reform of the civil service
, from 1966 to 1968.
He joined the Labour Party in 1951, and was elected to Greenwich Borough Council
in 1970. He fought Norwich South in 1972, and unseated the Conservative
Thomas Stuttaford
, a local GP, at the February 1974 general election
. He was re-elected in October 1974
, and served as Parliamentary Private Secretary
to the Minister for the Civil Service
, Robert Sheldon, in 1974, and to the Minister for Social Security, Stan Orme, from 1977-79.
He was re-elected again in 1979
, and became an opposition spokesman on Trade and Industry, but failed to gain a position in the shadow cabinet
as a Tribune group
candidate. With Robert Sheldon and Norman St John-Stevas, he was instrumental in the creation of the system of departmental Select Committees. He and Sheldon collaborated in the establishment of the statutory independence of the National Audit Office
.
He lost his seat to the Conservative John Powley
in the Conservative
landslide at the 1983 election
, and returned to work for Inbucon, but regained the seat at the next election
, with a majority of only 336.
He resumed his post as an opposition spokesman on Trade and Industry, then moved on to Energy, and finally to the Civil Service. He was re-elected in 1992
, but retired due to ill health at the 1997 general election
. His successor as MP for Norwich South was Charles Clarke
, who later became Home Secretary
.
In retirement, he was a councillor for on Norfolk
County Council
from 1997 to 2001 and then on Norwich
City Council
, representing Bowthorpe
. He was an honorary lecturer in government at the University of East Anglia
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
management consultant and Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician. He was Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Norwich South for 19 years in two non-consecutive terms, from 1974 to 1983, and later from 1987 to 1997.
Garrett was born in Romford
Romford
Romford is a large suburban town in north east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Havering. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan...
, the son of a book-keeper. He was brought up in Walthamstow
Walthamstow
Walthamstow is a district of northeast London, England, located in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It is situated north-east of Charing Cross...
, and attended Sir George Monoux Grammar School. He read geography at University College, Oxford
University College, Oxford
.University College , is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2009 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £110m...
, graduating with a first. He undertook research into industrial location, receiving a B.Litt, and spent a year at the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
graduate business school as a King George VI Fellow, before National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
.
He worked in industry as a labour officer in the chemical industry, then a market research manager in the car industry, and finally a management consultant with Inbucon from 1963. He contributed to the Fulton Commission, on the reform of the civil service
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
, from 1966 to 1968.
He joined the Labour Party in 1951, and was elected to Greenwich Borough Council
London Borough of Greenwich
The London Borough of Greenwich is an Inner London borough in south-east London, England. Taking its name from the historic town of Greenwich, the present borough was formed in 1965 by the amalgamation of the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich with part of the Metropolitan...
in 1970. He fought Norwich South in 1972, and unseated the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Thomas Stuttaford
Thomas Stuttaford
Dr Irving Thomas Stuttaford OBE, is a British doctor, author, medical columnist of The Times and former Conservative Member of Parliament. In 2002 he retired as Senior Medical Advisor for Barclays Bank.-Politics:...
, a local GP, at the February 1974 general election
United Kingdom general election, February 1974
The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,...
. He was re-elected in October 1974
United Kingdom general election, October 1974
The United Kingdom general election of October 1974 took place on 10 October 1974 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. It was the second general election of that year and resulted in the Labour Party led by Harold Wilson, winning by a tiny majority of 3 seats.The election of...
, and served as Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
to the Minister for the Civil Service
Minister for the Civil Service
In British government, the Minister for the Civil Service is responsible for making regulations regarding Her Majesty's Civil Service, the role of which is to assist the governments of the United Kingdom in formulating and implementing policies...
, Robert Sheldon, in 1974, and to the Minister for Social Security, Stan Orme, from 1977-79.
He was re-elected again in 1979
United Kingdom general election, 1979
The United Kingdom general election of 1979 was held on 3 May 1979 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. The Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher ousted the incumbent Labour government of James Callaghan with a parliamentary majority of 43 seats...
, and became an opposition spokesman on Trade and Industry, but failed to gain a position in the shadow cabinet
Shadow Cabinet
The Shadow Cabinet is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster system of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition form an alternative cabinet to the government's, whose members shadow or mark each individual member of the government...
as a Tribune group
Tribune (magazine)
Tribune is a democratic socialist weekly, founded in 1937 published in London. It is independent but supports the Labour Party from the left...
candidate. With Robert Sheldon and Norman St John-Stevas, he was instrumental in the creation of the system of departmental Select Committees. He and Sheldon collaborated in the establishment of the statutory independence of the National Audit Office
National Audit Office (United Kingdom)
The National Audit Office is an independent Parliamentary body in the United Kingdom which is responsible for auditing central government departments, government agencies and non-departmental public bodies...
.
He lost his seat to the Conservative John Powley
John Powley
John Albert Powley is a British Conservative Party politician.In the 1979 election he contested Harlow, securing a very large 13% swing from Labour to Conservative, which just failed to oust Labour MP Stan Newens...
in the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
landslide at the 1983 election
United Kingdom general election, 1983
The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945...
, and returned to work for Inbucon, but regained the seat at the next election
United Kingdom general election, 1987
The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd...
, with a majority of only 336.
He resumed his post as an opposition spokesman on Trade and Industry, then moved on to Energy, and finally to the Civil Service. He was re-elected in 1992
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
, but retired due to ill health at the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
. His successor as MP for Norwich South was Charles Clarke
Charles Clarke
Charles Rodway Clarke is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Norwich South from 1997 until 2010, and served as Home Secretary from December 2004 until May 2006.-Early life:...
, who later became Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
.
In retirement, he was a councillor for on Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
County Council
County council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
from 1997 to 2001 and then on Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
City Council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
, representing Bowthorpe
Bowthorpe
Bowthorpe is located in the west of Norwich, England. It is a primarily residential area, but includes a large Industrial Estate and one small out-of-town shopping centre, with a supermarket and various smaller, retail outlets. A police station and community hall are situated close to Bowthorpe...
. He was an honorary lecturer in government at the University of East Anglia
University of East Anglia
The University of East Anglia is a public research university based in Norwich, United Kingdom. It was established in 1963, and is a founder-member of the 1994 Group of research-intensive universities.-History:...
.
Sources
- Times Guide to the House of CommonsTimes Guide to the House of CommonsThe Times Guide to the House of Commons is a political reference guide book published by Times Newspapers giving coverage of general elections in the United Kingdom.Following most general elections since 1880, the book has been published...
, Times Newspapers Limited, 1987, 1992 and 1997 editions.